The Christmas getaway: Keeping travel sickness at bay

Christmas is just around the corner, meaning for many seeing family over the seasonal holidays is drawing ever nearer. According to a new report taken by the Daily Mail, four million of us are expected to travel over the festive period to see our loved ones. Thus despite the merry times that are awaiting you once you reach your destination, the reality is the journey may be anything but, with threats of delays, traffic jams, and cancellations ever looming. Furthermore, for many of us travel or motion sickness may also occur, making the journey during the festive season an unpleasant and distressing experience.

Whether you are travelling by plane, car, train, or car, if you suffer from travel sickness you are likely to experience common symptoms such as feelings of nausea, discomfort in the lower abdomen, feelings of being unwell, cold sweats, dizziness, extreme tiredness, drowsiness and for some people an increase in the amount of saliva produced. Travel sickness occurs when there is a clash between what your eyes see, and what your inner ears, which control the balance sense, creating conflicting information thus causing feelings of travel sickness.

Fortunately there are a number of methods that can help you to avoid such symptoms. OnlineClinic provides a list of self-techniques below, which may help you to alleviate the distressing symptoms of travel sickness to ensure that you enjoy a stress free journey this Christmas.

Minimise how much you move

If you are travelling by plane, boat or train it is generally advised that you sit in the middle of each of these transports to ensure you experience more stability and less movement. If you are travelling by car, it is recommended that you sit in the front of the car to reduce any symptoms of travel sickness.

Focus on an object

Whichever mode of transport you may be travelling by this Christmas, the same rule applies. Fixing your vision on a non-moving object may help to take your mind of any feelings of nausea or dizziness that you may be feeling. If you are travelling by car or train, keep your eyes ahead at the front window (or the window your sitting next to on the train), and focus on a stable object in the distance such as the horizon. Likewise if you are travelling by boat focus on the horizon, making sure to not concentrate on the moving waves, which is sure to bring forth symptoms of motion sickness.

Avoid heavy meals

It is essential that you avoid eating a large meal or consuming alcohol before or during travelling, as this could heighten any feelings of travel sickness, making it much worse. What is advised however is that you keep hydrated throughout your journey, and drink fluids such as water.

Try to relax

Taking your mind of your journey can go some way into helping to reduce travel sickness symptoms from occurring. Listening to music or closing your eyes and relaxing may help you to take your mind of any nauseating feelings that you may be experiencing. It is important to note that reading is not considered a relaxing activity, as it requires too much concentration. Reading could instead encourage travel sickness symptoms to occur.

Prescription medications

Although the techniques mentioned above may help to relive the symptoms of travel sickness, medication may be required should symptoms become severe. There are effective prescription medications available, which have proven to treat travel sickness symptoms. Kwells, Scopoderm, and Avomine are all travel sickness medications in the form of either a tablet, dissolvable pill or patch, which when taken before or a few hours prior to your journey, will greatly reduce the effects of travel sickness.